Electrical lamp connection



Oct. 8, 1940. M. M. CLAYTON ELECTRICAL LAMP CONNECTION Filed Feb. 24,1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR M 7%- 6%- M MW WWI/m O Um I M E 2 2 2i. E Q S 3 M u m d d IE1 1W1 m w W W e W W E M m C n Y v Oct. 8, 1940.M. M. CLAYTON- ELECTRICAL LAMP commoner:

Filed Feb. 24, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet I JZE JZZI.

IN'VENTOR M W M M 4 7m 3 H mm H m m 6 1 6 n 2 Z fl 9 1 i 5 E PatentedOct. 8, 1940 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL LAMP CONNECTION Martin M. Clayton,Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to National Electric Products Corporation, acorporation of Delaware Application February 24, 1939, Serial No.258,227

6 Claim.

This invention relates to the mounting and arrangement of elongate,single-filament, electrical lamps in association with a two-circuit,three-wire, electrical distribution system, such as 6 that disclosed inmy co-pending application Serial No. 256,244, filed February 13, 1939,and the application herein forms in part a divisional continuation of myapplication Serial No. 184,183, filed January 10, 1938.

One object of my invention is by association of elongatesingle-filament, electrical lamps, such as those known as Lumilinelamps, with a twocircuit, three-wire, multiple outlet system to providea double line of lamps mounted on a single duct structure in balancedposition with respect thereto, and while utilizing simple and practicalmounting elements for the lamps. Another ob-v Ject of the invention isby association of a double line of single-filament elongate electricallamps with a two-circuit, three-wire, multiple outlet system so to mountthe lamps that each of two lines of emitted light having its source inthe lamps is controllable independently of the other line ofillumination energized from the system. Another object of the inventionis to mount two lines of elongate, single-filament, electrical lamps ina three-wire multiple outlet system that the two lines of light emissionprovided by the lamps are substantially uninterrupted throughout thelength of the organization. Other objects of this invention will beclear to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. I is a plan view of a fragmentarylength of two-circuit threewire multiple outlet duct. Fig. II is a planview showing two parallel lines of elongate singlefilament lamps mountedon a two-circuit threewire multiple outlet duct, such as the multipleoutlet duct of Fig. I, to provide ina selected rem gion thereof twosubstantially continuous parallel lines of light emission. Fig. III is adiagrammatic view showing the connection of the elongate single-filamentelectrical lamps to the two circuits formed by the three wires of themultiple outlet duct, and showing independent switch control of thesetwo lines of lamps. Fig. IV is a front elevation of a simple mountingstructure for mounting two parallel lines of elongate sin-' gle-filamentelectrical lamps on, and in electrically connected relation with, thetwo circuits of a two-circuit, three-wire, outlet system; this form ofmounting being appropriate to the mounting and energization of twoindividually energized electrical lamps of the specified sort, and toform the end brackets for parallel lines of light emission consistingeach of a. plurality of the elongate electrical lamps. Fig, V is across-sectional view through a multiple outlet duct housing a twocircuitthree-wire electrical system, with which duct I organize the elongateelectrical lamps. Fig. VI is a side elevation of the mounting bracketshown in Fig. IV, looking from the right of that latter figure of thedrawings' Fig. VII is a plan view of two of the brackets shown in Figs.IV and VI, arranged back-td-back. Fig. VIII is a central horizontalsectional view, on a smaller scale, showing two of the mounting bracketsarranged back-to-back. Fig. IX is a central horizontal sectional view,on the scale of Fig. VIII, through a modified form of bracket consistingeffectively of the double bracket arrangement of Fig. VIII but in whichthe structure of the bracket is fundamentally made in one piece.

Referring. to the drawings, the duct which houses the two-circuit systemwith which the lamps are organized is shown in Figs. I and V. This ductconsists of a formed metallic channel, designated by reference numeralI, which is approximately rectangular in cross section and which isequipped with a cover 2 windowed at spaced intervals to expose aplurality of receptacles 3. Within the cavity of the metallic channelthree longitudinally arranged conductors A, B, and C are associatedwithreceptacles 3, which latter are of insulating material and are shownas molded structures. At each-of the receptacles which insulatecontact-making regions of the conductors from the channel, all three ofthe conductors A, B, and Care exposed for the making of electricalconnection therewith.

'Each of the conductors thus installed carries a plurality of contactclips 4 which are arranged along the conductors in a spacingcorresponding to the desired spacing of the receptacles in the channeland the spacing of the windows in the cover 2 which expose thereceptacles. In the detail showing of Fig. V, one of the contact clips 3is shown as attached to a bared region 5 of each of the duct conductorsA, B, and C. Each receptacle has therein spaced openings a, b, and c,which give access to the contact clips 4, housed in recesses 6 of thereceptacle; and as the receptacle lies in the channel of a duct, theseopenings form a transverse series, aligned with each other transverselyof the duct, and spaced apart a distance equal to the standard spacingof theprongs of an attachment plug. Desirably, as shown, theprong-receiving opening 0 is made of somewhat greater length than theprong-receiving openings 0. and b. This is done primarily in order thatthe opening c may receive the broad prong of a polarized plugconstructed with prongs of different width.

A consideration of Fig. V oi the drawings will make clear the use of theduct in its common function of providing two circuits for connection ofelectrical attachments thereto. Thus, it will be clear that the normallyspaced prongs of a standard attachment plug may be inserted in the prongopenings a. and c to enter the contact clips associated with theconductors A and C, or may be inserted in the prong-receiving openings band c to enter the contact clips associated with the conductors B and C.In either position in which the prongs of an attachment plug areinserted connection is made to the common conductor C.

I have discovered that a duct of this sort is also peculiarly adapted tothe mounting and energization of a double row of elongate,singlefilament, electrical lamps. The electrical connection is in suchuse somewhat diiferent to that described for connection of attachmentsin the usual manner, since the single-filament lamps may be energized byconnection to the two conductors of the circuit by means of but oneprong at each end of the lamp. That is, at one end of the lampconnection by a contact prong is made to one wire of the circuit, and atthe other end of the lamp a single prong makes connection to the otherwire of the circuit. I have provided means by which, in a two-circuit,three-wire system of the sort indicated, two rows of the singlefllamentlamps may be mounted in balanced relation on a single duct containingthe two-circuit, three-wire, system, and have so constructed andarranged the mounting means as to provide a minimum of interruption inthe two lines of light emission from the lamps. Also I have discoveredthat in the connection of these two rows of lamps to a two-circuit,three-wire, system of this sort, each row of lamps may be controlledindependently of the other, so that at will either or both the rows isenergized.

Fig. 11 of the drawings illustrates the balanced mounting of four of theelongate electrical lamps Ia, lb, 10 and'ld of one row and four elongateelectrical lamps Ba, 81), 8c and 8d of a second row on a two-circuit,three-wire, duct of the sort shown in Figs. I and V of the drawings.Fig. III illustrates the electrical connection and independentelectrical control of the two rows of lamps. In this figure of thedrawings the lamps 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d are shown as all having connectionto the energized circuit wire A, and the lamps 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d areshown as having connection to the energized circuit wire B. The lamp 8ahas an independent connection to the neutral wire C, while the lamps 1aand 8b are shown as having common connection to the neutral wire C.Common connection to the neutral wire is also shown for the lamps 1b and8c, and for the lamps To and 8d. A switch control 9 is shown asinterposed in the conductor wire A and a switch control it) is shown asinterposed in the conductor wire B. Since the connection common to anyof the lamps in the two difierent rows is merely to the neutral wire 0,the energization .of each row of lamps as a whole is controllable tor, aburned out filament in any lamp does not cause the other lamps in itsrow to be de-energized.

Exemplary structure for efl'ecting the mounting of the lamps on theduct, and electrical connection to the duct conductors, is illustratedin the remaining figures of the drawings. Simple mounting structure forthe lamps is shown in Figs. IV and VI of the drawings. This mountingstructure is formed as a bracket ll of insulating material, and havingtherein two sockets l2 and I3 containing respectively conductiveelements l4 and [5 from which conductors Ma and l5a lead respectively tocontact prongs l6 and I1. Desirably as shown, the bracket is providedwith a third prong l8 which has an unconnected setting in the body ofthe bracket and serves merely to provide balanced mounting of thebracket on the duct.

This structure is useful at the outer, ends of a double row ofsingle-filament elongate electrical lamps, or to mount an individualassembly consisting of two parallel lamps of that sort on the duct, aswell as in an intermediate position in a double row of elongate lamps.Matching Fig. IV of the drawings with the cross-sectional view throughthe duct shown in Fig. V, it will be seen that the contact prong l6 ofthe mounting structure can, by entering the opening a, make contact withan energized conductor A, while the prong I1 can, by entering theopening 0, make contact with the neutral conductor C. At the other endof the two lamps, the identical structure of Fig. IV is reversed in itsposition to present its sockets to the lamp terminals. At that end ofthe two lamps, therefore, the second bracket will have its prong I6inserted through opening b to make contact with energized conductor Bfor the lamp which at its other end is electrically connected by a prongI! with neutral conductor C. Similarly, this second identical bracketwill have its contact prong I! introduced through opening 0 to makeneutral connection for the lamp which at its other end is connected tothe energized conductor A by the mounting structure at that end of thelamp.

Figs. VII and VIII of the drawings show an arrangement of the mountingstructure to give minimized interruption to the two lines of lightemission provided by the rows of lamps in an electrical association suchas that shown in Fig. III of the drawings. In this arrangement each ofthe brackets l I has its contact prong IS in, and occupying a portionof, either the contact opening a, or the contact opening b, of areceptacle. Each bracket also has its contact prong I! at thelongitudinal center of the bracket, in the opening c in a receptaclegiving access to the neutral conductor C. It will be seen that thismounting arrangement makes the electrical association of Fig. III,giving a lamp in one row a common neutral connection with a lamp in theother row mounted in an abutting bracket. The mounting structure issimple both mechanically and electrically and has the great advantagethat it provides a minimum width of unilluminated structure betweensuccessive lamps in both rows. It is possible because the contact prongsot the brackets are of such restricted width that they may preservealignment in the back-to-back arrangement by each requiring but aportion of a receptacle opening for its accommodation.

Fig. IX of the drawings shows a modification which is effectively anintegration of the two back-to-back brackets of Figs. VII and VIII intoa single mounting structure. In this modificatlon, the bracket IQ ofinsulating material has wherein four sockets, corresponding to the foursockets provided by bringing two brackets back to back. It has threealigned contact prongs, all of which are efiectively connected to thebracket sockets. As shown, the contact prong 20, positioned to enter theopening a in a receptacle, is connected with socket 2|, being thusadapted, for example, to connect lamp 1b of Fig. III at its terminalwhich lies to the left in Fig. III to the conductor A. Contact prong 22,connected with socket is positioned to enter the opening b of areceptacle, and is thus adapted for example to connect that terminal oflamp 8a of Fig. HI, which lies to the right, to the conductor B. Theintermediate contact prong 24 provides a common neutral connection tothe conductor C for sockets 25 and 26, and thus, referring to Fig. III,for the right hand terminal of the lamp Ia and the left hand terminal ofthe lamp 8b. Obviously, this electrical'connection is similar to that ofthe two back-to-back brack,-' ets shown in Figs. VII and VIII. 1/

The modified structure of Fig. IX is adapted to mounting in intermediatepositions along the two rows. Since it is a double-faced structure,mounting structures such as the one shown in Figs. IV and VI, are moredesirably used at the ends of the rows.

By a very simple modification of the mounting structure forsingle-filament lamps, it may be made suitable for the double mountingof twofllament lamps. Thus by making the dummy prong iii a live prongconnected to its adjacent socket, by giving each socket connection tothe prong which makes contact with the neutral conductor of thetwo-circuit duct, or system, and by making both sockets in the bracketscrew sockets, the mounting structure of Figs. IV and VI may be adaptedto the mounting of a double row of elongate, two-filament, electricallamps. The feature in which such arrangement is less desirable than thatprovided by the single-filament lamps is that the depth of the screwsockets causes a greater interruption in the lines of light emissionthan is the case, when the single-filament lamps and mounting structuresappropriate to them are used.

In the mounting of a double row of single-filament lamps in two-circuit,three-wire system it is noteworthy that I minimize interruption in thelines of light emission, by connecting opposite ends of longitudinallyadjacent lamps in the same receptacle, and thus avoidwidening the gapbetween longitudinally adjacent lamps by placing two receptacles incontact with each other. It is also noteworthy that I employ inorganizing a double row of lamps, preferably of the single-filamentsort, in a three-wire, two-circuit system, capable of providing twoindependently controllable circuits for use with attachment plugs ofstandard form and arrangement; and do this without change in theelectrical arrangement of the system, or in the housingand insulatingelements therefor.

- I claim as my invention:

1. An electrical two-circuit three wire lighting system composed of twoenergized electrical conductors, a neutral conductor cooperative withboth said energized conductors to form completed electrical circuitstherewith, a plurality of elongate electrical lamps arranged in twoparallel rows in which the lamps of one row are connected to oneenergized conductor of the system,

in which the lamps of the other of the two rows are connected to. theother of the two energized conductors, and in which the lamps ofboth'rows are connected to the neutral conductor, and .control switchesarranged independently to energize or de-energize the two rows of lampsby com- 5 pleting or interrupting the two energized conductors of thetwo-circuit system.

2. Anelectrical two-circuit three wire lighting system composed of twoenergized electrical conductors, a neutral conductor cooperative withboth said energized conductors to form completed electrical circuitstherewith, a plurality of elongate electrical lamps arranged in'twoparallel rows in which the lamps of one row are connected to oneenergized conductor of the system, in which the lamps of the other ofthe two rows are connected to the other of the two energizedconductorsand in which the lamps of both rows are 7 connected to the neutralconductor, control switches arranged independentlytoenergizeordeenergize the two rows of lamps by completing or interruptingthe two energized conductors of the two-circuit system, an elongatehousing structure for the conductors 'of the two-circuit threewiresystem, contact-presenting receptacles in said housing, and mountingstructure adapted physically to mount the elongate electrical lamps onthe housing at the receptacles in electrical connection with the twocircuits of the housed system thereat.

3. An electrical two-circuit three wire lighting system composed of twoenergized electrical conductors, .a neutral conductorcooperative with'both said energized conductors to form completed electrical circuitstherewith, a pair of elongate single-filament electrical lamps inphysically pare allel arrangement, and contact-making mounting for thetwo lamps arranged to connect the two parallel lamps at one end thereofone to the neutral conductor and the other to one of the en- 40 ergizedconductors and at the other end thereof respectively to the other of thesaid energized conductors and tothe neutral conductor.

4. An electrical two-circuit three wire lighting, system composed of twoenergized electrical conductors, a neutral conductor cooperative withboth said energized conductors toform completed electrical circuitstherewith, a pair of elongate single-filament electrical lamps inphysically parallel arrangement, contact-making mounting for the twolamps arranged to connect the two parallel lamps at one end thereof oneto the neutral conductor and the other to one of the energizedconductors and at the other end thereof respectively to the other of thesaid energized conduc-, tors and to the neutral conductor, and controlswitches arranged independently to energize or de-energize the We saidelongate single-filament lamps by completing or interrupting the twoenergized conductors of the two-circuit system.

5. An electrical two-circuit three wirelighting system composed of twoenergized electrical conductors, a neutral conductor cooperative withboth said energized conductors to form completed electricalcircuitstherewith, a housing for the three conductors of the systemconstructed to provide contact-making access thereto, a lamp assemblyorganized of two insulated brackets arranged to receive each twoelongate single-filament lamps, two such lamps mounted in physicalparallelism between the two brackets, and contacts carried by the twobrackets and connected with the ends of the two lamps arranged at eachbracket electrically to connect one of the lamps to the neutralconductor of the two-circuit system and the other 01' the lamps to oneof the energized conductors thereof, the contacts of the two bracketsbeing inversely arranged so that each lamp has connection to one only ofthe said energized conductors and toy the neutral conductor.

6. An electrical two-circuit three wire lighting system composed of twoenergized electrical conductors, a neutral conductor cooperative withboth said energized conductors to form completed electrical circuitstherewith, a housing for the three conductors of the system constructedto provide contact-making access thereto, a lamp assembly organized oftwo insulated brackets arranged to receive each two elongatesingle-filament lamps, two such lamps mounted in physical ductor, andcontrol switches arranged independently to energize or de-energize thetwo said single fi1ament lamps by completing or interrupting the twoenergized conductors oi the system.

MARTIN M. CLAYTON.

